


Any other name

by Balthuza



Category: Shards of the Sun
Genre: Angsty Schmoop, F/M, Steffit's family is a bunch of assholes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 15:15:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9767681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Balthuza/pseuds/Balthuza
Summary: When his parents find out, there is hell to pay.





	

The first time he meets her, he is bloody terrified. She is unmoving, like a statue, and his first instinct is to check whether she’s actually alive, but then she moves and looks at him. He offers a hand and a name, and gets one in return, offered like a favor. 

Later, when he sits among his family and friends he laughs off the congratulations on gathering the courage to approach the ice queen of Nimborh, and can’t stop thinking of how warm her hand actually was.

At first, his parents are thrilled. He worked hard for the apprenticeship and wears it like a badge of honor. Then they start to insist on things, ask him to carry favors and words, and he starts to become uneasy. When she confronts him, he tells the truth without much prompting, and can see the surprise.

When she offers him an invitation his name did not merit, he is told to refuse. His mother takes offence, calls it pity. His father insists that if he is to take part, it will be as a merchant and as their son, not an escort. When he asks Gin, uncertain and feeling damned already, she snorts at him and that alone stops him in his track. Then she says ‘I invited you for a date, you dimwit,’ snorts again and walks away, leaving him absolutely bewildered, frowning at the wall.

In the end, he goes and spends the night with her with her hand in his.

When his parents find out, there is hell to pay.  

He tries to talk with them, than he shouts, but in the end after he has to listen to another ‘you deserve better, than such a disappointment’ he has enough and disappears for a week.

After that they pretend not to know. 

He has the bracelet ready after half a year, but it takes another two until he offers it, with his heart in his throat, suddenly seeing every fault and imperfection. When she puts a ring on his finger in return, plain and a bit uneven from the years she went with no practice, he’s never seen a thing so perfect.

The invitation they send to his parents goes without an answer, until one day they just arrive weeks before the ceremony. They are bitter and spiteful when he claims he’ll take over her family’s business, claim he abandoned them all, allowed himself to be bought for a few shiny trinkets. The whole thing leaves a sour aftertaste in his mouth, and he is almost tempted to reject their name altogether when they try to go after Gin again, but in the end he decides she can handle herself and react far better, than he ever could. 

They arrive at the wedding only on the third day and stay for less than an hour. 

Steffit almost wants to cry. He hoped he deserved better, but apparently wasn’t even worth their time.

It doesn’t get better. When they meet it ends up in an argument more often than not. The children help - they visit more often and keep their mouths shut in fear of being cut off their grandchildrens’ life and for a while things are almost alright.

Then Nil appears in their life and all hell breaks loose.

When he sheds their name, his parents are shocked. He can hardly imagine why.

His family stands behind him, Flick, already attached to the half-elf can barely lift him, but holds him as hard, as she can, Berily and Twiffle look at their grandparents with distaste, and Gin is right behind Steffit, silent and immovable like a mountain.

He is not happy, but he is sure. When they leave, he lets his family wash over him, and thinks that maybe this will work out just fine. Gin turns to him, kisses his forehead where the worry lines are deepest, and smiles. He smiles back.


End file.
